Outlet strainer



OUTLET `STRAIINER Filed Dec. 27, 1919 /3 7 /0 l l l 5 l 5 A @yf/,

styles of outlet "fittings,

Patented Sept. 11, 1923.

UNITED .STATES ritme PATEN coNsTNTINn FAP'PELHOFF, or DAYTON, OHIO.

foti'r'nnf'r ern-Ariana.

'ppliition ld Ddrrb'er 27, 1919. Serial No. 347,693.

.To aZZ @Unomat/,nay eminem .'Be it known that I, Consfmnrinn Arren- HOFF, a citizen of the United States, :residing at Dayton, in the countyo'f Montgomery Aand State of Ohio, have invented certain new .and useful Improvements n in `Qutlet Strainers, of which the following is a specification. v Y

My invention relates Vto improvements in plumbing fittingsand especially to an outletdrainer for wash bowls, bath tubs, laundry trays, and sinks. l

The object 'of the `inventio'ii is .to simplify thestructureas well as theI means and vInode of loperation of such strainers vvherebywthey will not only be cheapened in construction,

ybut will bemo're efficient in use, capable of being securely locked inengagement in `the drain, easily and quickly applied `and re moved, and unlikely to get Aout of repair.

further object' of the invention is 'to lprovide aremovable strainer and improved locking means therefor, 4by which the strainer may .be readilyengaged in the outletfpassage and which will be more' o'r less Vuniversal in its .adjustment to different lVV'th the ab ve primary and other incidental Vobjects in view as' will 'more .ful-ly appear in the specification, fthe invention consists of the featuresfo'fconstructionjtlie views.

parts andcomhinations thereof,l and 'the Inode of `operatiomfor their equivalents, as hereinafter described and set 'forth in the claims. l y y y .Referring to the drawings, ig.' lis a sectional view ofa' portionof a .washvbowl and the outlet thereforglto which the present invention `has been applied. Fig. 2 is a'detail sectional `view of `one embodiment 0f the strainer forming the4 subjectinatter hereof removed fromthe 'ou'tle'tffitting.`u Fig.

"isa bottom sectional planview of the outlet fitting andins'erted strainer-taken online 3-4-3 of Fig. `l; F ig; 4' is a detail view of yone of. the reta-ming catches ofthe `construction shown in Figs; l to `5' inclusive Fig. 5 is ar'detail sectional viewfo'f a modificationI of the p strainer embodying ari adjustable detent or lockingfdevice.

Like 'parts' areindieated by similar Icharacters of reference throughout the several tubs and wash stands.

Fig; `V6 is a side elevation of a further-modification .of the locking or 'detent means.I Fig. 7 `shows a clamp collar for the screen.`

Much of the diiculty experienced with household or other plumbing is due to the `clogging of waste pipes by Vforeign material. This is particularly true in hotels or ypublic institutions and buildings, where matches, chewing gum, bits of paper and other debris are frequently thrown into wash bowls or sinks. The difficulty is fur ther aggravated by the lodgment of small pieces of soap, hair, lint, and ravelings in the outlet conduits of laundry trays, bath This difiiculty is sought to be overcome by the present Construction, wherein a strainer member is re- .inovably locked within the outlet fitting.

This strainer is adapted to intercept and vholdwvaste material and dbris which might et at its inner orupper end forengargement .with the bottom of the washxbowl l. The

Vsleeve 3 is screwfthreaded upon its exterior for theengagement of thexlocking or. clamp nut 5, and the attachment of the oiftake'conduit." As ordinarilyconstructed the fitting 3 is provided with oppositely disposed oriiices 6,which register with the overflow coni `duit leading from the .outlet 2.J The outlet fitting 3 is normally closed bythe insertion of astopper'or plug 7, this is the usual drain connection. for wash stands, bath tubs, and laundry trays, and per se, forms no part of the present invention;`

vThe strainer element 'forming the subject matter hereof comprises a' Vflanged collar '8, which supports a pendant basket or .strainer body 9.'` The strainer 9 maybeof screen or wire mesh or may beof perforated sheet metal vas shown in Fig. 6. The strainer isof such size-and proportions as to fit snugly withintheroutlet fitting `3,' with thehorivzntal fiange ofthe collar Soverlying thetflange i of the fitting.' A gasket l0 frubberor other packing material is vpr'e'ferztbly thc'iugh notnecessarily fitted be- -tween the vhorizontal flange. ofthe collar 8 andthe likeflan'ge L.tof tliefitting. While the screen member fits snugly within the fit- Sting it is easily insertable vinto andzremovable therefrom.- rThe strainer baskety "9 whether of wire mesh fabric or ofperforated sheet metal of such length as to eX- tend to the bottom of the lateral opening 6, or preferably somewhat therebelow, in the drawings has been shown as extend ing approximately 'to the cross bar or baffle, ordinarily found in the fittings 3. VT his baffle or cross bar 11 is intended for somewhat the same purpose but is ineffective for stopping small particles, orl such material as lint, ravelings and hair which in fact cause most of the plumbers trouble.

For thev purpose of detachably engaging the strainer member within the fitting 3 there are attached to the inside of the points, spring fingers 12. These spring fingers 12 are riveted, soldered, or brazed, or

otherwise fiXedly attached to the collar S at the point 13, and the ends of such fingers are outturned and project radially beyond the collar 8, thru slots 111 therein. rflie outward protruding ends` 15 of these fingers 12 are preferably though not necessarily somewhat beveled as shown in Fig. 4 to-aflord a slight cam action which tendsito draw the strainer firmly to its seat. The ends 15 of the retaining finger 12 when projected outward engage beneath the upper edges of the lateral opening 6 in the fitting- 3, as shown particularly in-Figs. 1 and 3, thereby holding the strainer in place, and preventing it being withdrawn with the stopper or plug 7. To detach the strainer, it isan easy matter to insert the finger within the outlet orifice or to employ a sharp instrument to spring the fingers 12 inward,thereby withdrawing the .protruding end 15 thereof, from beneath the edge of the opening 6.

Inasmuch as there is a slight variation in the spacing of the upper edgesofthe lateralv opening 6 from the fiange l-,Vof the outlet fittings of different manufacture,tliere has been shown in Fig. 5 a modification having a universal adjustment to enable its use upon outlet fittings of.differentproportions. In

`this construction the retaining finger in stead of being xedly attached as in'Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is vertically adjustable `within the flange collar 8. To thisend the flange collar is indented as at 16 to form an inward projecting arch tongue or loop beneath which the one end of the lretaining finger 12 projects. The indented .or arched portion 16 of the collar 8 is provided with a yvertical slot 17 in which engages a stud18 carried .by the retainingfinger 12. rPhe opposite out turned end of the retaining finger projects outwardly thru an elongated slotY or opening 20, one side of which is serrated to form a series of rests or stops for the finger 12. The finger 12 may be adjusted vertically within the ange collar 8 by sliding one end in the slot 17, and by engaging the opposite end upon any one of the series of teeth or serrations 21 to accommodate the device to different outlet fittings 3. Other than the features of universal adjustment the construction and function is as before described. In Fig. 6 there is shown a further modification in which a series of tongues 22 are projected outwardly from the material formingthe flange collar 8 at different heights therein. For convenience the tongues are preferably arranged in a spiral series. The strainer device will be held in engagement with the tting 3, by the interlocking of any-voneof the integral tongues 22, beneath the upper edgefof the openings 6. To disengage this form of lock, the strainer is rotated thru a quarter revolution to bring the projecting tongues 22 into registry with the solid portion of the fitting 3, intermediate the opening 6, whereupon the strainer may be lifted from the fitting. It will be understood thatk this `rotation can be effected only in the direction of the at tached ends of the tongues. n

-l/Vhile the perforated sheet metal strainer construction has been shown in the drawings in conjunction with the last mentioned form of interlocking means it will be understood that the wiremeshfabric construction 4may be utilized with the integral locking tongue construction or the perforated sheet ymetal strainer may be utilized with the lock- Ving construction shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

As thus described there is provided a strainer basket vhaving an outwardly projecting flange collar whichjrests upon a top of the outlet fitting, and which is provided with locking detents for fiX'edly engaging it with such fitting, but which permits the dei tachment therefrom.

tures, it: is to be `understood that the iiivention is not limited to the specific details shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprisey but one of several modes ofvputting the invention into effect, and the invention-,is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: v v

1. The combination with an outletdrain llO fitting of a substantially cylindrical strainer basket extending Within the outlet, a peripheral flanged collar thereon overhanging the end of the outlet fitting, and a spring arm Within said strainer basket, the extremity of which is extended through the side of said basket and into engagement with said fitting for releasably engaging the strainer basket with the outlet fitting.

2. The combination With a receptacle having an outlet orifice of a strainer basket projecting Within such outlet, a peripheral flange carried by the basket and overhanging the bottom of the receptacle adjacent to the outlet orifice, and a spring actuated detent operable from the interior of said strainer basket and extending peripherally therebevond for detachably engaging the strainer basket in the outlet orifice.

3. The combination with a drain fitting having a lateral opening therein, of a strainer unit to be removably inserted in the mouth of said strainerfitting in a position overlying the lateral opening, and radially extending detent means carried by the strainer unit for engagement in the lateral opening of the fitting a. In a device of the character described, a strainer basket adapted to be removably inserted Within the outlet orifice of a receptacle and depressible detent means projecting radially from the peripheral Wall of the basket and engaging Within the outlet of the receptacle.

5. In a device of the character described, a strainer basket insertable'within the outlet orifice of a receptacle, and a spring fingerI secured to the interior Wall of the basket, the end of said finger being out turned and through the Wall ,of the basket for engagement `With a supporting structure.`

6. In a device of the character described, a strainer basket inserta-ble Within the outlet orifice of a receptacle, and a cam detent carried thereby for engagement With a supporting structure, the engagement of which by said cam detent tends to dravv the strainer basket to its proper position.

7. In a device of the character described, a

strainer basket insertable Within the outlet orifice of a receptacle, and vertically adjustable detent means carried thereby adapted to lock the strainer basket in its adjusted position.

8. In a device of the character described, a strainer basket having a slot in the side Wall thereof, and a detent projecting outwardly through said slot and adjustable to different operative positions therein.

9. In a device of the character described, a strainer basket insertable Within the outlet orifice of a receptacle, having a slot in the side Wall thereof, the edge of said slot being serrated, and an adjustable detent capable of engagement with any one of said serrations.

10. In a device of the character described, a strainer basket, a detent slidingly engaged therewith for vertical adjustment, and a series of stops in the path of adjustment of the detent with any one of which the detent may be engaged.

11. In a device of the character described, a cup shaped strainer basket, having an angularly disposed peripheral flange substantially coincident with the edge of the basket and yielding detent fingers projecting laterally from the side walls of the cup shaped basket for detachably locking said Hanged basket Within the outlet orifice of a receptacle, said yielding detent fingers being manually retractable from the interior of the basket.

12, The combination with a tubular outlet fitting having a lateral drain orifice, of a strainer basket insertable Within the tubular fitting and overhanging the lateral orifice thereof and a manually retractable detent carried by the basket detachably engageable Within the lateral drain orifice thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of December', A. D. 1919.

CONSTANTINE APPELHOFF,

Vitnesses:

WILLIAM A. SWANEY, GEORGE' C. HELMIG. 

